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International Exchange

Tim Lawson: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Name: Tim Lawson
UOW Degree: Bachelor of Computer Science
Host University: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA)
Period of Exchange: Spring Session 2003

Tim is a UOW graduate currently working as a Solutions Architect with ‘Internetrix’ in Wollongong

What was the best thing about your exchange experience? There is no one best thing. The experience of travelling, meeting new people, studying in another country, and learning a different perspective are all things which influenced my exchange to make it an awesome experience.

How did the exchange benefit your UOW degree? When I returned I was actually more focussed on my studies. Classes at UNC were almost like a fulltime job, where you went for most of the day every day. When I returned to UOW I found I had more spare time out of class, which I spent completing assessments and projects. I had found classes to be more interesting.

How did the exchange experience benefit you on a personal level? It’s not easy getting ready for going on exchange – getting all visa’s, organising accommodation and travel, and what I was going to do over there. I became more organised as I had something which required a lot of preparation, but it was something that I really liked and wanted to do which made it fun. Experiencing another culture has also given me different perspectives on how I view the world.

How has the exchange experience benefited your career? The exchange component complimented my degree. Instead of graduating with a technically focused degree with no major, I was able to graduate with a Bachelor of Computer Science with a Minor in International Studies. This showed my potential employers that I had a broader perspective on problems than what other applicants may have had.

Did your exchange experience help you to secure a job after graduation from UOW? One of the employees already working at the company had also been to the same exchange university as me a year earlier. The exchange positively influenced his life (study and work ethics, personality) and the employer saw this as something which gave me an edge over other applicants.

- Tim Lawson

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